Outcast
by MuffledSnickers
Summary: Setting: LucaHigh: Paine has always been trained as a Warrior. She's an outcast, different and separated from everybody. Can anyone bring her back in? Or has she been too scarred for hope? NoojXPaineXBaralia
1. Outcast

_**Rikku made her way into class just as bell rang.**_ Her defense instructor, Kimahri, a strong Ronso leader, glanced up at her disapprovingly and crossed his arms. "Rikku almost late." His tall, six foot broad shouldered, muscular arms was intimidating to a point, but Rikku knew how soft-hearted Kimahri could be. He didn't have it in him to be stern.

Rikku put on a charming smile. "Rikku almost on time. This an improvement, no?" Still grinning, she made her way to her seat on the floor and took out her nail polish. Applying it carefully while watching Kimahri out of the corner of her eyes.

Kimahri made his way to the front of the class and glanced around for attendance, making sure everyone was present. He didn't need a notepad for the chore; he had long since memorized all the students. "We have new student." Kimahri threw out suddenly. Gesturing to a girl that Rikku hadn't noticed before, he informed them. "Name is Paine. Transfer from Guado High."

Rikku took her gaze away from her nails for a minute to study the new girl. Paine? What kind of name was that? Rikku gave a small smile as she studied the girl. She was obviously Goth, though she didn't wear heavy black make up like most other Goths. Strapped in leather, she wore a black top that ended high above her abdomen and an equally as dark skirt-looking leather shorts. Fishnets came down from the shorts to lead out from buckles along the side that seemed to hold her outfit in place. Black, high heeled boots completed the bad-ass look and a small, blue firestone pendant hung from a chain around her neck, just below a spiky black choker. The sword that hung from her side looked large and intimidating, but Rikku found herself staring at the girl's eyes. They were crimson, staring down at the floor and trying to ignore the stares she was getting. Crimson wasn't an unheard of eye color, but it was rare and left Rikku wondering where the girl's heritage came from.

It wasn't that her outfit was outrageous or anything, it wasn't common, rare for a girl to become a Warrior. Girls usually didn't have the strength to handle Warrior weapons. The girl had unusual hair as well for one so young. Gray and obviously gelled, it was cut short and flicked back. Rikku gave a short smile; the girl must be feeling out of place.

Dona, the girl who sat behind Rikku, whispered not-too-quietly to Rikku. "Slutty Goth, huh? That's all this school needs."

Paine must have heard, Dona wasn't exactly quiet about her opinion, but she didn't turn or acknowledge the comment. At the front of class, Kimahri continued. "You be sparring today. I check your progression. Quarter of your grade." They all had their pairs, but Yuna wasn't in class today. Kimahri told Rikku to pair up with the new girl in her place.

Dona made a choking kind of sound. "Sucks for you. Girl looks like she could kick Kimahri's ass. Better not piss her off, she might kill you." Rikku didn't respond, but crossed the small distance to the girl and smiled warmly.

"Hi, I'm Rikku." Paine was standing by that time and her eyes scanned over Rikku almost dully before her gaze flicked over at Dona and back. Rikku almost missed it, it was so fast. Rikku glanced at Dona. "Did you hear that?" Paine didn't say anything, so Rikku continued. "Don't worry about her, she's a bitch. One of the Trio here, she talks about everyone. Don't take anything she says personally."

Paine remained silent. Kimahri came over to the two of them and instructed them to a corner of the gym, telling them to begin. He moved away shortly after and Rikku tried again, giving Paine another short smile. "Well? You're a Warrior, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Paine spoke her first word, glancing at Kimahri's retreating back before looking back at Rikku.

Rikku grinned broadened at her considered victory at getting the girl to speak. "Well, not that it looks like you need it, but I'll warn you anyway. I've been trained in evasion and speed. You'll need to be quick to catch me."

Paine began unstrapping her sword holster and put the weapon down. Rikku followed suit with her twin blades. "A Thief?"

The comment might have offended someone else, but Rikku was merely surprised. "How'd you know?"

"Just speculation." Paine replied simply. Rikku frowned. Was Paine prejudice against Al Bhed? Paine noticed her attitude change. "Not by your heritage or anything." She added hastily, seeing Rikku's frown. "Sorry I assumed, I just saw your blades and-"

Rikku sensed the girl was being genuine in her apology and, despite how it might appear, trusted that the girl didn't hold anything against her from her heritage. "It's okay. You must be trained to identify me so quickly. Not many girls are strong enough to wield swords that size."

"I've made it a practice." Paine admitted.

Rikku's smile returned. "Well, let's see how good you are, hmm? Don't hold back, alright?"

"You sure?" Paine asked unsurely.

"Cocky, are you?"

"Just cautious." Paine assured her. "Not that I doubt your skill…"

Rikku gave another short laugh. "It's cool. Yeah, bring it."

As it turned out, the girls appeared to be evenly matched. Rikku found herself pushing herself to keep up and Paine found a small challenge in the girl's swiftness. Paine was powerful and her hits had hurt, but Rikku was fast. She evaded many of Paine's shots, though the ones that landed had hurt and Rikku was sure she'd have bruises the next morning. Paine did end up topping Rikku after a short time, but it had been a fair fight.

Paine held out a hand to help Rikku up. Rikku took it and Paine pulled the smaller girl to her feet with barely any effort. She picked up her sword and re-strapped it to her belt as Kimahri came over to both of them. "Fight well." He commented, addressing them both. Rikku grinned broadly. If Kimahri had thought the fight was good then they had both received high marks.

Kimahri walked off to another group and Rikku turned back to Paine. Before either girl could say anything, someone unexpectedly kicked Paine in the back of her shins. Paine grunted and collapsed to her knees. "Not so tough, huh Goth?" A sickeningly familiar voice floated over Paine's kneeling frame. Rikku raised her eyes to identify LeBlanc, gloating over Paine. LeBlanc had a hand at the base of the back of Paine's neck and was applying pressure. Paine flinched and cringed back. "Pretty pendant for a Goth." She commented absently.

"Leave her alone, LeBlanc. She's new." LeBlanc looked up at Rikku's voice and released her hold.

"I guess you're right." She seemed impressed by Rikku. "You beat her like this?" She asked. Rikku shrugged. It was better just to go along with anything LeBlanc was doing. "Impressive. Well, business calls. See you later, Rikku." She left. Paine stood, but she had the distant look back in her eyes, the one she had before Rikku had got her to start conversing.

Rikku bit her bottom lip. "Sorry about that…she's another one of the Trio. You okay?"

"Fine." Paine answered shortly, rubbing the back of her neck absently.

"You don't have to take that shit from her, you know? She's not much of a fighter. You could probably take her down in about four seconds. She's-"

"It's fine." Paine cut her off. Rikku absently closed her mouth, cursing the Trio silently. Before she could think of anything else to say to Paine, the bell rang. Rikku cast one last look at Paine before the older girl disappeared out the door and she sighed heavily. So much for making progress. Oh well, Rikku made her way to her next class wondering where Yuna was.

_**An hour and a half later Rikku found Yuna at their usual lunch table with Gippal, Tidus, Nooj, and Baralia.**_ She made her way over to the table and sat down next to her best friend and roommate. "So, you skipped out on Kimahri's class today huh?"

Yuna blushed a little. "I heard there was sparring today. Quarter of our grade, right?"

Rikku grinned broadly. "So you skipped? This is a new Yuna!"

Yuna turned a shade darker. "Tidus dragged me out."

"Ooh la la, whatever were you two doing?" Yuna turned a deeper shade of red and didn't respond. Tidus answered for her.

"We were studying." He winked. Rikku gave a cough-laugh and Gippal slapped Tidus on the back.

"Way to go! Whoever thought you'd be able to talk Yuna out of a class to make out with her!"

If possible, Yuna's blush grew and Rikku chuckled at her embarrassed cousin. Nooj and Baralia remained quiet, their gazes elsewhere. Rikku followed their eyes to see that they were both staring at a girl off in the corner, sitting alone by herself. It took Rikku a moment to realize the girl was Paine.

Gippal also seemed to notice Nooj and Baralia's gaze. He gave a low whistle. "Look at that! She's hot!"

"That's Paine." Rikku added helpfully. That drew the gazes of Nooj, Baralia, and Gippal. Tidus and Yuna were conversing quietly among themselves and seemed not to notice the turn of the conversation.

"You know her?" Gippal asked incredulously. "And you never told us you had a super-hot, leather clad, Warrior girlfriend?"

Rikku punched him in the arm. "When are you going to remember you're taken?"

Gippal smiled sheepishly and gave a short laugh. "Sorry Riks, you know I love ya."

"Then start acting it!" Her tone was harsh, but her smile showed that she wasn't truly angry with him.

Nooj drew her attention back. "Who is she?"

"She's new." Rikku informed. "Just moved in from Guado High."

"Guado High?" Baralia frowned. "She doesn't look Guado."

"Dunno." Rikku confessed.

"Let's keep her company." Nooj volunteered, getting to his feet with a little trouble because of his machina leg.

"She's kind of reserved." Rikku admitted.

Baralia shrugged. "Shouldn't be alone though, come on." Rikku got up too, but Yuna and Tidus remained seated.

Tidus spoke for them. "You guys go ahead. We'll catch up later. Going to give Maechen a visit."

"Have fun…" Rikku left with the others, seating herself directly next to Paine. Gippal sat down on her right and Baralai sat on Paine's other side, Nooj grudgingly took the seat next to Baralai. No food was in front of Paine, only a stack of books with one propped open against the pile. She paused at the presence of other people and glanced to her sides with a dark, yet not unwelcoming glance.

"Hello?"

"Hey!" Rikku replied, a bit too loudly. "You looked lonely, sitting her all alone, so we've come to join you!"

"Okay…" It didn't really look like Paine knew how to respond.

"So," Baralia joined in. "You're from Guado High, huh? You don't look Guado."

Paine flinched slightly in the smallest manner possible, if Rikku had blinked, she would have missed it. "I'm adopted."

"Oh…" Baralia bit his tongue. Gippal smiled at him in a 'good going' kind of way, mockingly.

"Why'd you transfer?" Nooj asked, seeming genuine.

"For the collage." Luca High was a special school, it wasn't just a high school, it was also a community college that most graduates of Luca High attended. That way, they could keep there teachers and progress. It was really a smart idea. Friends could stay together too. Gippal, Nooj, Tidus, and Baralia were all part of the college.

"They don't have colleges near Guadosalam?" Baralia asked, trying to save his first mistake.

"No, they do. Seymour thought this school would be harder."

"Seymour?" Baralia's jaw dropped. "The Maester?"

"He's my foster father."

Baralia seemed speechless. Rikku fought not to spit out her water as Gippal began making crude exclamations. "That-That manipulative bastard is your father?!"

"Foster." Paine corrected, flinching a little. "We're not related by bloodline."

"Holy mother fu-"

"Gippal!" Rikku held a hand over his mouth and grabbed his arm, digging her nails into his skin.

Nooj was the only one who seemed unsurprised and calm about the revelation. "Is it?" He asked patiently.

Paine seemed taken aback. "What?"

"The school." Nooj explained. "Is it harder?"

"Oh…" Paine seemed grateful. "Yeah." The conversation continued. It was all small talk, but Rikku was half-surprised Paine _was_ talking. She seemed most comfortable answering Nooj and a bit hesitant to Baralia. After Gippal's outburst, rather than stray from him, she only hesitated slightly. The bell rang all too soon, according to Nooj, and they all went their separate ways to class.

The rest of the school day was somewhat uneventful for Paine. She didn't have many more classes to attend and was done by six. Making her way outside, Paine began the strained and hesitant walk home. She was staring at the ground on the way and not watching where she was walking when someone bumped into her. "Hey, watch it! Goth."

Paine raised her head to find a girl dressed in purple with matching shorts. Around the purple clad girl were two people Paine was also familiar with. A bright red heart shone at her from the revealing chest of LeBlanc as she recognized her. "Hey, Diem! That's the girl! The Goth one I was telling you about!"

Paine tried to walk past, but the girls barricaded her way by forming a three-person human wall. "From class! I remember too!" The girl to the right of Diem spoke, Paine didn't know her by name, but she had also been whispering to Rikku when Kimahri introduced her. Again, Paine tried to push past them rather weakly, as to not hurt them, but they didn't let her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Home." Paine replied simply.

LeBlanc seemed to be the leader of them. "Hmm, home huh?" She asked snidely, as if going home was the lowest thing a person could do. Her eyes sparkled as they fell upon Paine's necklace. "This looks a little too pricy for a Goth." She nodded to Diem and the other girl. Unexpectedly, they both lashed out. Diem landed a kick to Paine's stomach and the other girl shoved her back, causing her to loose her balance and fall back. As soon as Paine hit the ground, they were both on top of her, pinning her down.

"What the-" LeBlanc stepped forward and grabbed Paine's necklace. Callously ripping it from the back, she snatched it away. "No!" Paine's jaw tightened and, forgetting all else, she struggled to throw off Diem and the girl. After only seconds, she managed to do so, but when she made to jump at LeBlanc, LeBlanc dangled out the chain and a small fire grew in her palm.

"One step and I'll melt it down to a puddle." Paine froze, breathing heavily and watching LeBlanc closely. That necklace was a gift from her parents, her real parents. Other than the sword she constantly kept strapped to her side, she had nothing of them to remember by.

"What do you want?"

LeBlanc let her buddies rise off the ground and come to her side before answering snidely. "From you? What could I possibly want from a reject Goth?" She turned and left. Paine tried jumping after her, but she had used a protect spell to ward her off and she rebounded against it, thrown back to land harshly on the ground.

Out of nowhere, green plants shot up out of the ground and jumped at the Trio. Le Blanc screamed and threw her hands back, where one root gripped her wrist and another removed Paine's necklace. Paine watched unblinkingly as the root dove into the ground and uprooted again next to her, holding out the necklace on the edge of the vine. Paine blinked and took the necklace. The root dove back into the ground as did the others surrounding the Trio where they ran off screaming. "The Trio can be a pain in the ass. Are you okay?" Paine lifted her gaze to see Nooj above her, holding out a hand to help her up.

"What was that?" She asked, still rooted to the spot.

"That?" Nooj shrugged. "Blue Magic. It's hardly known in Spira anymore, but I find it helpful. Fighting is difficult for me because of my…condition."

Paine assumed he was speaking of his machina leg. "Oh…thank you." She allowed him to help her up only because he had just saved a family treasure.

"Mind if I walk with you?"

"If you want to…" Raised among the Guado, Paine had always been an outsider. A human in a Guado world. There were no other humans at her old school and most of the Guado just ignored her altogether, those that didn't rebuke her. No one had ever really asked to walk with her or helped her or anything of the sort. She glanced down at her chain. It hadn't broken when LeBlanc ripped it off, only unclasped. Paine fumbled with the clasp and attempted to put it back on.

"Here, let me help." Paine was about to object when Nooj's fingers scraped the back of her neck, easily fitting the two clasps together. His flesh was warm against her cool skin. Paine's jaw tightened as it fit together and he drew back. "You're alright then?"

"Fine." Paine answered a little distantly as she began walking.

Nooj seemed to understand he was very near crossing a line. "How was your day?" He always seemed to do that. Know when she was uncomfortable and immediately change the subject or bring the attention elsewhere.

"Not as good as it could have been."

Nooj gave a small smile. "Because you met Rikku?"

"Not exactly." But Paine held a small smile too. "Maybe because she pushed her friends into my life."

Nooj chuckled, something that was rare in itself. "What, you've got an aversion to people or something?"

"Something along those lines." Paine paused, she seemed hesitant. "Thank you…for the table issue."

Nooj understood at once. "About your father?"

"Foster." Paine corrected again.

"Not everyone's oblivious to the worldly news. I suspect Baralia knew as well, just didn't recognize you for it. Sorry about Gippal though," Nooj added, "He's a bit of an airhead."

Paine pursed her lips. "I understand how Seymour's perceived in a negative way." Nooj was half surprised she hadn't said 'it's fine' and cut off the subject right there. In fact, she sounded halfway…resentful?

"Do you…resent him?" Nooj asked carefully, aware he was treading the thin line again.

Paine was silent for a minute and Nooj thought he might have gone too far when she finally spoke again. In a near whisper, she could barely be heard, but Nooj caught it. "…A little bit, yes. He's…just a little harsh."

"Harsh?" Nooj asked, but Paine seemed to think she had said too much. She went back to being silent and reserved. The rest of the walk was spent in silence. When Paine finally parted with Nooj, it was short and not entirely open. Nooj bade her goodbye and left. Paine entered the large mansion that Seymour had bought in Luca just for her schooling and went immediately upstairs to her room. She had just shut the door when, not seconds later, the door to her room opened and Seymour stood in its frame.

"Paine." Paine turned her head away and Seymour's gaze darkened. Paine knew he was scanning through her mind, seeing the day played out as it was and she flinched when the tingle sensation left her mind. "Paine…how could this happen?"

"I'm sorry, Seymour. I didn't expect-"

"You should always expect!" Seymour thundered, grabbing Paine by the shoulders and turning her around. His long, Guado fingers dug into her skin. "How can you expect to be a True Warrior if you let little sissy girls at school take you down? They nearly got away with it! If it weren't for that boy, they would have! You must never depend on others, Paine! Never! If you're to be truly strong, you must only depend on yourself! And what about that fight with that Rikku?"

"I-I didn't want to hurt her." After the disaster fight with the Trio, Paine had thought he might have ignored her fight with Rikku. The mention of her name made Paine nervous.

Seymour shook his head and let go of Paine's shoulders. "Do I have to intervene again?"

Paine's eyes grew wider. "No! Don't!"

"I think I must. And…you need to train more."

"I will! Start it off right now! But don't intervene-please, don't do it!" Paine knew what Seymour's 'intervening' meant and she was afraid of the damage that would be done.

"True Warriors are never afraid, Paine." With that, he began the summoning. Paine's teeth clenched as fear gripped her. He had summoned Anima.

The room around Paine disappeared into a swirl of black and red. Anima was already using his limit? Paine hastily withdrew her sword and began slashing away as fast as she could, but she wasn't quick enough. The floor enveloped her as she sunk down. Anima's second, even more gruesome face greeted her. Paine slashed at his face, but it was too late. The chains around his fists broke and a gigantic hand grabbed Paine, lifting her off the ground. Paine slammed her sword down into his furry hand at the base of the thumb, but it made no difference.

**_Long hours after Seymour had left, Paine still lay crumpled in heap._** Not a tear fell from her eyes, a small revolution in the battle. It didn't stop the pain.


	2. Anger

_**The healer had done a good cover up job and cured the open wounds, but she could do nothing about the bruising.**_ Paine's dressphere covered all the necessary big bruising, mostly at the back of her legs and upper back.

Paine made her way to school, testing the strength in her legs and was satisfied that it only hurt a little to walk, that she could do so without any limp. She made it through the first couple of classes fine, but trouble came in Kimahri's class.

Rikku waved her over to sit near her and slightly hesitating, she did. Another girl was beside her and Rikku introduced her. "This is my buddy Yuna, we're cousins actually, but you know. Yuna this is Paine."

"Nice to meet you." Yuna greeted softly.

Paine nodded, saying nothing. Rikku began to chatter off about something as Kimahri instructed them to their groups. Paine assumed Yuna and Rikku would pair up. She looked around the class for another possible partner, but the numbers were odd. Kimahri ended up letting them have a group of three and they were off to sparring again. "I can't believe this!" Rikku exclaimed excitedly. "Two sparring days in a row! Who would of thought?"

Yuna didn't seem as excited at the prospect and Paine grew nervous. She let Rikku and Yuna spar off first, hoping they would take the whole time. But Yuna's sparring was far worse than Rikku's. She wasn't built as a fighter and easily lost within minutes. Rikku turned to Paine, grinning. "You and me again?"

Paine tried to make an excuse, but her words didn't follow her wishes. "Yeah." Inside, Paine began to panic. The fight started off fine. Paine had instantly gained the upper hand, and to please Seymour, whom she knew was watching, she forced in more effort than yesterday, not letting Rikku get the upper hand in anything.

Rikku was breathing heavily, but still smiling. "Did you get better overnight?" Paine said nothing; a voice had entered the back of her mind. _Paine…_ Paine's breathing grew irregular. Seymour was speaking to her.

_I'm winning…isn't that enough?_

There was a slight pause. _No._

"Shit!" Paine grabbed at her forehead and closed her eyes, but there was nothing she could do. An all-too familiar anger settled over her, taking control of her mind and actions. She was enraged and it was Rikku's fault. She had to punish Rikku. In only seconds, the berserk curse had taken over.

Paine's eyes snapped open and she lunged at Rikku. Fist drawn back, she grabbed her shoulder with one hand and began feverously punching her with the second. Rikku cried out and lifted her arms to defend herself, but Paine brutally knocked them away and continued her tirade. Yuna screamed and leapt at Paine, trying to pull her off Rikku, but she too was thrown back and hit the wall, crumpling at its base.

Blood splattered, coloring the floor and Paine's fist as she uncontrollably beat Rikku to a pulp. Kimahri was soon there, pulling Paine off of Rikku and she fought against him too until the curse was lifted. As soon as Seymour removed his spell, Paine crumpled to the ground, holding her head._ Why? Why would you do that to me?! _

_You don't need others, Paine. All you need is yourself. Do not depend on anybody._ _Friends are a weakness. _Seymour's voice was devoid of any pity or remorse.

Paine heaved in air, but she could not find the sobs. No tears came to her eyes. She was hollow, empty. Kimahri carried off both Yuna and Rikku, calling in someone else to bring Paine along too. Paine was led by the shoulders, following Kimahri to a medical office where they laid down Rikku and Yuna's unconscious forms and took her further into another room.

Paine sat for at least an hour, staring at the floor mindlessly before others began to file in the room. Rikku's father, Cid, showed up as well as her brother, Brother. Paine couldn't find it in her to look up at their gazes, but she felt their eyes burning hatefully into her. Soon after, Seymour himself also came and a discussion followed with Brother, Cid, Seymour, and Principle Auron.

"I don't know what would provoke her to attack your girl like that." Seymour was saying. "Of course, I'll pay for all the medical bills and call in the finest medical staff for your poor Rikku. Yes, I'm so sorry…" His assurances didn't change anything; Cid and Brother were enraged and yelled back at everything he said. Half of the conversation on their side was in Al Bhed, but Paine had long ago learned the language and understood every threat, every comment they threw at her.

It was long hours later when a long fingered hand was placed on Paine's shoulder and Seymour's sickening voice floated into Paine's mind. _You don't need anybody else. I do this because I love you. True Warriors are always alone, Paine._

Paine didn't question him, it'd be useless. Seymour had always been firm in his views, no matter how ridiculous or harsh they were. From the time she was old enough to understand, he had made it a point of making her into a Warrior, someone strong enough to defeat anybody. _A true Warrior has to make sacrifices. Just know, whatever I do, I do because I love you. _His past words floated through her mind as she was led from the room. Paine looked out of the corner of her eyes as they passed the medical bay room. Rikku was still bleeding from numerous wounds with a team of nurses surrounding her. Yuna didn't look so bad, but both were still unconscious and Paine couldn't truly tell the damage done.

She was led to her next classroom, Black Magic with Lulu again. She tried to focus and pay attention to only Lulu, but it was difficult. Everyone was glaring at her. Word must have spread fast about the fight. It seemed like everyone knew Rikku. Paine had always prided herself for not caring what others thought, but she crumbled under the stares of the others. The guilty one among many innocents and everybody knew it.

At the end of class, Lulu held her back as the others left and Paine kept her head down, her gaze glued to her desk to avoid the glaring eyes of the class. "Paine, I've heard of your recent…misdemeanor to Rikku of late. In this class we practice against each other, but I do not think that wise in your case. You will practice your magic with me after in-class training sessions. You still must attend class and during the training sessions, you will study what I have laid out for you. Is that clear?"

"Crystal." Paine replied miserably. Lulu sent her off and she could feel the older woman's eyes burning into her back as she left.

Lunch was uneventful. Paine sat alone, reading through a textbook. Nobody even came near her and everyone made sure to sit at least two tables away. Paine knew they were all talking about her, but she did her best to focus on her book, ignoring the world around her.

Her last class of the day came all too slowly. It was a sports class which Paine had signed up for, Blitzball, at Seymour's insistence that it would help her endurance. Everyone gathered in the locker rooms as Wakka approached the class. Wakka looked over everybody. "Does anyone know where Rikku and Yuna are?" He questioned the general assembly. Paine turned her head down as every other head in the room turned to stare at her.

Dona spoke. "Paine beat the shit out of them this morning in defense class. They're in the hospital."

Le Blanc joined in. "Imagine what she does to her enemies if she leaves her friends hospitalized. Poor Rikku, she had stuck up for you. Always knew you were a bitch."

Jeers and agreement followed. Wakka tried to calm everybody down, but he was barely older than most of the kids there, younger than some even. His voice was easily overruled by the crowd of angry teenagers. "Yeah, bitch. Gunna beat us all up too?" The Trio seemed to be the ringleaders of the comments, but everyone else was agreeing and crowding in around Paine. Paine kept her gaze down, staring at the floor.

"Can't even look at us after what you did? She was nice to you! You filth." Le Blanc spat. "Rich ass daddy Seymour can't save you from everything, you know?"

There were a few gasps from the crowd from those who didn't recognize her for who she was. The whole school would know by the next day. "That scheming, double-crossing betrayer of a Maester is your father? No wonder you're just as rotten! You trampy Guado scum!"

"Yevon betrayer! You're a Yelit!"

A short silence followed the comment before agreement spread across the class. A Yelit was the crudest, most despised, cruel way of calling someone of Guado descent a betrayer of the teachings. The word itself was forbidden from being spoken. If Paine had truly been Guado, or anyone else for that reason, she would have been crushed to be called such a filthy thing. As it was, Paine kept her head down as Wakka furiously blew his whistle to no avail. After a moment or so, Paine again felt a firm hand on her shoulders as Wakka began leading her away.

Shouts followed her on the way out of the locker room where Wakka turned her around and spoke in a softer tone. "I think it'd be a good idea for you to leave school now, y'know? We don't want a riot outside the school." Paine understood. He was dismissing her early from school so that she'd be able to get home without the crowds. Paine didn't deserve such a courtesy.

She retrieved her bag and began the long walk home. She wasn't as lucky as Wakka might have hoped. Halfway there, a call rose up behind her. "Hey you!" She tried to ignore it, but it was certain the person was yelling at her. After taking a few more steps, they called out again. "You!" Paine stopped and turned around----to be on the receiving end of a punch. The blow landed against her jaw and she stumbled back a few steps, feeling her lip split. The blond haired kid pressed his advantage and followed up the punch with a spinning kick to her stomach.

Unbalanced as she was, Paine fell. The hidden bruises on her back screamed in protest as a heavy weight pressed down upon her abdomen. The kid's knees pressed into her stomach as he pulled his fist back. Paine wouldn't fight back. As if giving her own small revolution to Seymour's twisted mentality, she would stay there and take the beating she deserved. The blond kid hauled back and punched her. "You stupid bitch!" He hit her again, near tears. "She's in a coma because of you!"

Paine's insides hollowed out. Rikku was in a coma?

"Tidus!"

A familiar _click-click_ against the ground warned Paine of another's approach, this one familiar. Nooj came into view just as Tidus raised his fist for another punch. Nooj grabbed Tidus's arm and yanked him off her. The now-sobbing Tidus crumpled to a heap at his feet.

Paine leaned over to the side and spat out a mouthful of blood. Nooj was staring directly at her. It looked like he was about to speak before another body joined the fray. "You've caught her!" Gippal showed up behind Nooj and was immediately at Paine's side, kicking her harshly. Paine groaned and rolled to her side, but it only further exposed her already bruised back, to which Gippal took ample opportunity.

Paine moaned in agony as Nooj hobbled around Tidus to Gippal. "Gippal, stop! You'll kill her!"

"So what if I do?" Gippal landed another kick to the back of her shoulders, dislodging one of them. Paine choked on more blood in her throat and spat it up.

"Stop!" Nooj put an arm across Gippal's chest and pulled him back. Gippal breathed in heavily, watching Paine's slightly trembling frame. Nooj seemed to notice something. He knelt down beside Paine and Gippal stared at him as if he were mad.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Something's not right." Nooj replied. "We don't know something."

"Yeah, like why she would beat up the girl that befriended her?" Gippal made to kick Paine again, but Nooj held out an arm and blocked the blow.

"What's this?" Paine couldn't see his eyes, was too tired to even turn, it was hard to keep her own eyes open. Nooj's hand touched her back and Paine flinched away, realizing what he had found.

"Don't!" But it was too late. Paine was too weak from the beating she had just taken to resist and Nooj was too curious to let it be. Slightly lifting the back of Paine's leathers, he found the dark bruises from Anima's attack yesterday.

"He's too harsh." Nooj muttered almost inaudibly. His eyes brightened with sudden realization. "You've been beaten…by Seymour."

Paine frantically tried to shimmy away. "No!" She choked. "You don't understand!" Despite her hatred of Seymour's ways, despite her harsh training and his ever-pushing goals for her, despite all the pain he had ever put her through, deep inside Paine, she would never incriminate Seymour. It wasn't that she tricked herself into thinking she loved him as a father. No, it was that she was grateful to Seymour for shaping her the way he had. He had hardened her to the world, to emotions, to pain, and until now, she had thought to guilt as well. Seymour was twisted, yes, but his annoyingly repetitive justification for everything he had done was true. _I do it because I love you._ Seymour was all about power, needed it, and felt the need for her to have it too. She knew that and she would never let anyone incriminate him to the point that she'd be taken away from him. It was the reason she had never left, never run away from Seymour. She needed to be cold to the world. It was her only defense…

"I think I do." Nooj let go of the leather and let it fall back into place.

"Well I sure as hell don't!" Gippal yelled louder than necessary. Tidus remained sobbing into his hands.

"Paine…didn't hurt Rikku or Yuna. Not intentionally." Paine's breathing grew labored and not just because of the blood in her mouth. How could Nooj know? How did he see through her so easily? "Seymour made you do it, didn't he?" Nooj continued, staring her down.

"That's not true!" Panic crept into Paine's words, making them easily recognizable as false.

Nooj shook his head slowly. "Why would you defend him?"

"It's not true!" Paine yelled frantically. Mustering all of her remaining strength, Paine pushed herself up and to her feet. Nooj reached out to grab her, but she slipped away before he could get a hold of her. Limping badly, she ran as fast as she could away from the scene. Nooj began chasing after her, but even with her limp, she managed to outdistance him easily and he soon fell back.

Paine ran up through the Mi'han Highroad all the way to Mushroom Rock Road, where she took the machina elevator to the statue of the first True Warrior. Collapsing at its base, she coughed and choked up blood. She must have had internal bleeding, she realized. The ground was covered in splattered, miniature puddles of her blood. Weak with fatigue and shivering at the cool night's breeze, Paine huddled up on the ground and closed her eyes to rest. She didn't mean to fall asleep, but her body begged to differ. She was soon lost to the merciful peace of unconsciousness.

---

_**Her body ached terribly.**_ Her stomach hurt, throbbing and nearly pulsating. Each breath hurt more than the last. She couldn't move her right arm; her shoulder was dislodged and popped out into an unnatural position. She could taste blood in her mouth and on her lips.

Paine slowly crawled back to consciousness and wished she could go to sleep again. The pain was repetitive, throbbing and harsh. She groaned and rolled over, but immediately regretted the action. There was nothing at her side. Paine's eyes frantically snapped open and she flailed her left arm to grasp something, anything, but it was too late. The ground rushed up to meet her as she fell heavily against it with a loud _thump. _A whole new definition of the word 'pain' greeted her and she moaned loudly, flopping limply against the new, hard surface.

"That was stupid."

Paine opened her eyes just the slightest to allow the tiniest slit of light to invade her iris. After blinking a few times, a figure was distantly coming into view. Red overcoat with an arm slung down uselessly, she vaguely identified the outline of…. "Orren?" Paine asked dazed, her voice cracked and broken; only halfway pronouncing the word she tried to get out.

Something touched her and fingers slid under her back. Paine tried to protest and squirm away, but she was too weak. "Stop struggling." Auron's commanding voice broke the stillness. Paine was too tired to continue her struggles, even if she wanted to. Auron lifted her off the ground and deposited her back onto the soft, fluffy surface that Paine realized to be a bed. "You shouldn't have let them beat you up. That was stupid." Paine silently agreed. Defying Seymour definitely hadn't made her feel any better.

"Where…am I?" Her voice was raw and scorched her throat, burning its way up and making her wince, once again closing her eyes.

"My house. You're healing. Don't move." He held out a glass a clear liquid that was tinted red and gently pushed it into her fingers. "Drink that."

"What is it?" Paine nearly dropped the cup when Auron let go. Painfully, slowly, Paine raised herself into a propped up position against the pillows, staring at the liquid in apprehension.

"It'll help." Paine tilted the cup back and drained the whole glass in one go. It nearly came right back up, Paine choked, forcing it back down.

"It's whiskey!" Paine accused, falling under another fit of coughing. Auron took the cup from her and put it aside. Paine swayed precariously and fell back against the pillows. The room seemed to blur somewhat at the edges of her vision and she blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the blur. She had only once had alcohol before and that had only been a sip.

"It'll keep the blood down and help the pain." Auron motioned with his hand. "Turn your back towards me."

Paine hesitated. "…Why?"

"Your arm." He nodded at her right arm. Paine's jaw tightened, she closed her eyes and turned her back to him. Auron pressed one hand against the back of her shoulder near her neck and gripped her shoulder with his other hand. In a jerky, fast movement, he pulled back against the front of her shoulder and pressed forward against the back. Paine's shoulder snapped back into place and she hissed through clenched teeth, fighting the urge to cry out. She could move her shoulder, but it hurt to do so. She stopped quickly after, but Auron's hands remained on her shoulder.

Paine attempted to squirm forward, but Auron's grip tightened uncomfortably. "Don't move."

Paine froze, suddenly feeling afraid. Why had Principal Auron found her? The more she thought about it, the more nervous it made her. How had he even known where she was? "What are you doing?" Her voice betrayed her fear and Paine inwardly cursed for sounding so feeble.

Auron's hand on her shoulder remained firm, but his other hand had started to travel. His fingers touched the edge of her leather outfit and he began pushing it up slightly. "Stop!" Paine tried to edge away, but Auron's grip only grew stronger, hurting her shoulder.

His fingers traced over a large bruise that had been hidden under her leather and Paine flinched forward. "This is Seymour's work?"

Paine wrenched herself forward out of his grasp, further injuring her shoulder as his grip broke. "No!" Paine protested. "It was Gippa-" she started, but then realized her words and stopped herself. "I was practicing and fell."

"This isn't from any fall." Auron sounded…angry? Why did he sound mad? "And it's not from that Al Bhed's beating either." Paine tenderly leaned back against the pillows. "Tell me what happened."

"I told you!" Paine insisted, growing ever more worried. This was the Principal. He most certainly had the power to remove her from Seymour's care. "I was prac-"

Auron's jaw twitched. "Fine. I'll report Seymour's abuse to-"

Paine grew pale. "No, you don't understand."

"Then make me."

Paine inhaled sharply. "I-I asked him to summon Anima for me to fight." It was half true, Paine had shouted at Seymour to summon if only to save her newfound friends, which she had failed at anyway.

Auron's jaw twitched again as if he knew she were lying to him. "What happened yesterday in your fight with Rikku?"

Paine's stomach dropped. She kept on a cool front, unchanged. "I just got carried away." She was glad to hear that her voice didn't tremble or betray her in any way.

Auron grunted. "And beat the only girl who had tried to be friendly with you a day before?"

"No, I-" Paine stopped as she realized his words. Eyebrows crossed darkly, she turned her gaze away from the blankets to stare at him shrewdly. "How did you know Rikku tried to befriend me?" Her voice rose abruptly as confusion turned to anger that welled in her chest. "As a matter of fact, how did you know Gippal attacked me? Or how the hell you found me? And…You just assume Seymour beat me? Why would you bring me to your home?" It was making less and less sense as she stated the questions aloud. "Have you…You're stalking me!" No other explanation made sense, even though her current statement sounded ridiculous.

Auron's expression didn't change. "You're smart, Paine. Don't demise yourself by acting stupid."

"How do you know these things about me?" Paine shrunk back into the pillow.

"I came across Gippal, Tidus, and Nooj." Paine's jaw tightened. "Nooj was more than willing to talk when I found the blood." Paine turned away coldly and started to make her way towards the edge of the bed. Auron watched her slow progression almost in amusement. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Nowhere that concerns you." Paine replied coldly, continuing her way to the bed's edge.

"I hope you're not thinking of going home?" Auron asked calmly, still watching her.

"You going to try to stop me?" Paine shot back.

"I don't think I need to." Paine made it to the edge of the bed and threw her legs over the edge. She winced as she stood and began making her way to the door. Halfway there, Auron chuckled. "Seymour made you tough, that's for sure. Though his methods are a little different than what I would have liked. Is that why you're so defensive of him? You're grateful?"

Paine froze. How could he possibly know something like that? Could he search her mind, the way Seymour could? Paine didn't think it was possible. Only the most powerful of Guado could inherit an ability like that, she had never heard of mind reading among any other race. No, it couldn't be that. But then, how could he guess something so exact? Paine wasn't one for letting her feelings show or talking much to anyone. Seymour had made sure she'd be distant from people from the start, she had realized. By placing her in a school full of Guado, no one spoke to her or respected her. Now, he had assured the same thing in her new school by scaring everybody off by using her own strengths against her. So how…

"I see." Auron stated simply. Paine's hands clenched into fists.

"Who are you?" It was the only thing she could to say. Auron was hiding something, that much was clear. He shouldn't know anything about her, other than what her transcripts said.

Auron frowned. "That question is for a later time. You're not yet ready to know." He picked up something from the floor and held it out to her. "Don't want to forget this." It was her sword. Paine's eyes flashed at him dangerously. Her eyes traced his face as her gaze moved to his outstretched arm that held her sword. Slowly, she hobbled back towards him and grabbed the procured hilt of her sword.

Paine hesitated at the door. "Thank you." It was barely a whisper, almost inaudible, but Auron heard it and a small fraction of a smile graced his lips. Paine left the room and exited through the front door.


	3. Revelations

_**Rikku had been let out of the hospital that morning.**_ She had been beaten near death, but Seymour was true to his word and had brought in the smartest of healers. She'd been fine since last night, but the school healer refused to let her out until that morning. After many reassurances that she was fine, they had let her out.

Rikku didn't understand. She didn't know Paine very well, but people didn't just lash out so viscously just for the heck of it. She didn't know what she'd done that had pissed Paine off so badly that she would nearly kill her. Everything seemed to be normal, she was fighting off Paine who had seemed to gain tremendous skill overnight, then she spoke to Paine and something went wrong. Paine almost didn't seem to hear her, like she was ignoring her. What happened next pained Rikku to recount, even in memory. She flinched at the thought as she made her way to Kimahri's gym.

Yuna was in a coma. Rikku had cried when the healers told her and clung to the unconscious form of her best friend, but it changed nothing. With sunken hopes and a heavy heart, Rikku made her way to her first class with Kimahri.

As soon as she entered the door, she was surrounded by curious, wondering people. She was bombarded with questions and hugged by some she barely even knew. By the time she got through them and sat down in her row, class had already started.

Not everyone was there, though. Kimahri, for example, was missing, as was Paine, Rikku noticed as she glanced over at the empty girl's spot. Somewhere behind her, Dona's familiar high-pitched chuckle grated on her ears. "Oh, don't worry, Rikku. I doubt that bitch will be coming in today."

Rikku turned to Dona with a frown. "Why's that?" Something about the way Dona had said it unnerved her.

"'Cause you've got great, kick ass friends like Gippal and Nooj and Tidus!"

Rikku's frown deepened. The Trio usually got along with Rikku because Rikku 'impressed' them and always hung out with college guys and she partied. She could trust that what Dona was telling her was partially true, no matter how gossip-unreliable the girl was. "They found her after school yesterday and kicked the shit outa her! All for you and Yuna! What great guys you two have! She looked tough too, being a Warrior chick and all, but I heard they nearly killed her!"

"What?!"

"They found her aft-"

"I heard you the first time." Rikku interrupted. Dona wasn't exactly the smartest of girls and took things a little too literally. "Is she alright?"

Dona shrugged. "Dunno. But don't worry," She added, misinterpreting Rikku's shock, "I don't think she'll be coming in. Not from what I've heard."

But Dona must have heard wrong. Paine did come in that period, slowly limping in front of Kimahri who had his arms crossed with a dour expression that one usually wouldn't see on the Ronso's face. Paine kept her head down and her face turned away as she made her way to her seat on the floor in the row next to Rikku's. Kimahri stood over Paine and didn't move when she sat down.

Rikku took time to analyze Paine's condition. The girl was limping on one leg and even that looked shaky. It took Rikku a minute to realize why, but after a moment when Kimahri had moved slightly, she saw the dark black and blue bruises in stark contrast against Paine's pale skin. Slightly visible, coming out from the bottom of her leather top, Rikku could make out similar dark bruises. Paine kept her face turned down so that Rikku couldn't make out her features, but when she sat down Rikku saw a deep gash on the leg that Paine was limping on. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but it looked painful. Rikku tried to make out Paine's features, but a voice interrupted her thoughts. "Holy shit! Can you believe it? She actually had the guts to show her face up here? She's going to get her ass kicked again! You should have seen what happened at yesterday's Blitz practice!" Dona was speaking to Rikku, but the whole class could hear her comments as she wasn't the quietest of people. Paine didn't acknowledge that she had heard anything, but Dona's high voice was impossible to miss among the still silence.

"Goth girl decided to wear more black." LeBlanc jeered, talking about Paine's bruises. Even though her comment wasn't funny and was rather cruel, certain 'followers' snickered at the joke.

Kimahri grunted and the class fell silent. "Start with laps." He commanded. "I say when stop."

Everyone stood as a unit and began jogging around the gym. Kimahri sat down next to Paine and began speaking to her quietly. Paine didn't seem very responsive.

On her laps around the front of the gym, Rikku tried to get a good look at Paine's face. It was hard though, with Kimahri sitting directly next to her and Paine's head always turned down. Rikku still couldn't make out Paine's features clearly.

It wasn't until the end of class that Rikku actually saw Paine's face. After doing many laps and different exercises designed to help train them in their fighting, Paine was still sitting next to Kimahri who was whispering to her silently. Kimahri must have said something because Paine lifted her head to look at Kimahri, perhaps respond, and saw Rikku. Rikku was behind Kimahri, finishing up her last work-out. She had been chancing glances at Paine all period and it was no wonder that one finally caught up with her. Rikku's eyes glanced back at Paine at the exact moment that Paine looked up and their eyes locked.

Guilt-stricken eyes turned away immediately, but Rikku had seen what she had tried to the whole period. Paine _was _beaten. The entire right half of her jaw was entirely bruised in a deep shade of blue, she had a cut on her forehead just above her right eyebrow that dove down and her bottom lip was split. Her eyes were hollow and full of regret and it looked like she hadn't slept or eaten for days.

It was only for a second, but it was all Rikku needed to see. The bell rang shortly after and, despite her protests, Kimahri helped Paine to her feet. They seemed to have agreed upon something. Kimahri led Paine out by the shoulders, making sure she didn't collapse on the way and Paine kept her head down. The girl was a master at ignoring, Rikku marveled. Everyone was talking about her, there was no way Paine hadn't heard, and yet she still just limped around like she was the only one in existence.

Rikku didn't understand. Paine looked regretful. Was that only because Rikku's friends had beaten her for hurting Rikku, or was it something else? The facts weren't adding up. Rikku sighed deeply and made her way to her next class. This was a mystery that needed solving.

--

_**Baralia waited just inside the door. **_Paine stepped through after most of the crowds had come, followed closely by Kimahri, who only let her go when she was safely in the classroom. She hadn't even seen Baralia because she hadn't looked up at all, but Baralia got a good picture of her and he swallowed thickly at the sight of her numerous cuts and bruises.

Paine found a seat in the very back of the room. Nobody in the class dared to sit near her, everyone had managed to grab a seat that was at least two seats away. Baralia made his way down the isle and sat down directly next to Paine. She didn't seem to notice. Her gaze was trained at the floor and her eyes held a hazy look over them; she wasn't paying attention to anything.

"We'll be testing fire today, seeing how skilled you are at the elements. If I like what I see, we'll move on to ice, water, and lightning as well. Choose your pairs." She gave a pointed look at Paine that Paine entirely missed and the class set off choosing their pairs.

Baralia leaned in close to Paine. "Will you be my partner?"

Paine hadn't seen him there or must have been daydreaming or something. She jumped back at the sound of his voice and her eyes found him frantically before she lowered her gaze again and settled back into her primary position of staring at the floor. "Leave me alone."

"You must be really out of it, huh?" Baralia thought it best to go at it lightly. "Lulu just instructed us to choose our partners."

"Find someone else." Her tone was deadened and slack, her shoulders hunched forward with her gaze trained on the floor.

Baralia leaned in closer and whispered. "You don't have to worry. There's no berserker curse for magic."

Paine jolted back again, much like the first time Baralia had spoken to her. She stared at him incredulously with confusion hidden in her eyes. "Who-What would make you think I've ever been berserked?"

"Oh, come on Paine, I'm not a fool." Baralia explained. "Nooj told all of us what really happened. I just pieced two and two together. What else would provoke you to nearly kill Rikku? I don't think you have it in you to break under a beating."

His praise was unheard of, no one ever gave her any credit whatsoever, not even when she did something right. Paine was unused to hearing anything of the sort and she rebuked it. "You're wrong."

Baralia gave a short smile. "Am I? Then why didn't you fight back when Tidus and Gippal started to beat you?" Paine turned her gaze back to the floor, unable to look at him. "We all saw the damage done to Rikku. You could have defended yourself against them if you wanted. I'm betting you could have beaten them both if you wanted! But you didn't."

"That doesn't prove anything." Paine muttered darkly, fighting now to keep her gaze at the floor. "So I know I deserved their beating. It doesn't mean you should make up ridiculous excuses for me."

Baralia's smile showed his amusement. "Ahh, yes. Nooj also mentioned how defensive you were of Seymour. That one, I admit, has me stumped."

"Maybe because your whole theory is wrong in the first place." Paine had to make him believe she had truly herself just beaten Rikku. If anyone found out for sure that it was Seymour, she might be taken away from him. Even if it incriminated and distanced Paine, she would reject the truth all she could. Seymour would surely scan through her mind again and see these conversations. She didn't want to hurt anybody else.

"Hmm," Baralia mused, "possible, but not likely." Baralia switched his position in the chair so that he was facing her. "So what do ya say? Want to be my partner?"

"No."

"No? What? Come on! I thought we just bonded!" Baralia gave a pleading face.

Paine sighed and shook her head. "I'm not allowed. Go pair up with someone else before Lulu yells at you for talking to me."

"Oh, so now you're worried about me?" Paine flashed him a dark look. Baralia chuckled. "Kidding! Kidding! You're not allowed? What's that mean?"

"I'm not allowed to practice with other students. Would you leave me alone now?"

"Did Lulu say that?" Baralia asked, ignoring her second question. "I'll go convince her that you're safe to practice with."

Baralia stood from his seat, provoking Paine to stop him. "Quit it!" She hissed lowly, enough for him to hear but not to draw attention. Baralia paused. "I'm serious! Don't say anything to her!" That's all Paine needed, Baralia telling Lulu his theories of her motives.

But Baralia just grinned. "Don't worry; I won't mention anything that you wouldn't want me to. Nothing about Seymour, I promise!" Paine clenched her teeth as Baralia bounded away towards the teacher. Everyone else had already chosen their partners and was practicing.

Paine closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. Stiffly, she shook her head. How did she get thrown into these situations? This had to be one of the most stressful days of her life. Not to mention what Seymour would do when he saw her. She hadn't even returned home last night, that in itself would be reason enough for him to punish her.

After about an hour of speaking to Lulu, Baralia returned to his seat next to her with a wide grin. Paine glared at him out of the corner of her eyes. "She said we could work together!"

"I'm thrilled." Paine dejected tiredly.

"And she reminds you of your after school duty with Kimahri."

Paine sighed. "Great."

"Okay! Let's get started! You defend yourself first and I'll cast at you."

Paine squinted at him, not really understanding. Before she could voice anything, a stream of fire erupted from nowhere and shot at her. "Arrh" Paine held up both arms to protect her face. The fire hit her arms and for a moment, it burned her skin before disappearing completely.

"Are you okay?" Baralia grabbed one of her arms and examined it. Paine squeaked in protest then shut her mouth, embarrassed by the girly noise that had emitted.

Baralia's mouth quirked into a small smile as he called up a water spell to wash the new burns on her arms. "So the heartless stone does have a weakness?"

Paine yanked her arm away, turning slightly red. "Shut up."

Baralia chuckled. "Hey, hey! Just kidding! Come on, it's healing water. Summoned from the spring on Mt. Gagazet." He gently took her arm again and resumed the water spell, covering her burns. Slowly, her burns began to disappear under the stream of water. Not only that, but the bruising that had been on her arms also began to disappear. Paine turned her face away, choosing the same spot on the floor to stare at. "You know…" Baralia began slowly, "you're going to have to get used to jokes if you're going to be friends with me and the gang. Gippal is a pure jokester."

"I don't want friends." Paine echoed coldly.

Baralia gave her a short nudge. "You don't always get what you want, but sometimes it works out better that way." He indicated her arms. "You're done." Paine pulled them back, still staring at the floor. Somewhere above them, the bell signaling the end of class rang. Baralia put a hand on her shoulder and whispered into her ear softly. "You don't always have to push people out, Paine." He gave her a warm smile and left, Paine watched him leave the room before standing up herself.

Still heavily limping, Paine made her way to the door and let herself out. Her arms didn't hurt anymore.

--

"_**Where is she?"**_ Rikku asked nervously, twitching a little. Gippal threw an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close for comfort.

"She's where she always sits." Baralia pointed to a corner of the lunchroom where one table was set off by itself. Sure enough, Paine could be identified with her back to the lunchroom.

Rikku bit her bottom lip. "I feel bad for her."

Gippal blanched "What? Riks, she nearly killed you!"

"But we don't know if it was her fault!" Rikku protested weakly.

"Even if it wasn't," Gippal remained firm, "she still deserves what she got! We just gave her back what she gave you!"

"Still!" Rikku protested. "I'm fine now, aren't I? But she still looks like someone just finished beating her over the head with a bed pan or something. It doesn't look like anyone's willing to heal her!"

"With good reason!" Gippal argued. "Besides, Yuna's not okay, is she? She's in a coma because of that bitch. You should see Tidus! He's been crying over her for the last two days!"

"But-"

"But nothing. I won't let you get hurt by her again, Rikku. I nearly lost you." Gippal's grip on Rikku's shoulders tightened and Rikku leaned into his chest submissively. He was only trying to be protective of her, but was doing so to a point of not hearing the facts around him. It touched Rikku that he cared so much about her, but Rikku wanted to talk to Paine. "Please tell me you won't try to talk with her."

"Gippal-"

"Please, Rikku. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Gippal." Baralia interjected softly. "You're not being reasonable."

"If it means risking Rikku, I don't want to be reasonable! Gippal objected blindly.

Nooj stood. "I'm going to speak with her."

Gippal stared at him as if he'd gone mad. Baralia stood too. "Me too."

Rikku turned her head up against his chest and gave him pleading eyes. "She wouldn't do anything with you three there."

Gippal gave her a serious look. "She tried to in front of a whole gym, Rikku! She's dangerous, okay? I don't know what you're not getting about that, after she tried to kill you, but just avoid her, okay? For me, please?" Rikku sighed and rest back against his strong form. Gippal's arms curved around her stomach fondly and he gently kissed the top of her head. Gippal watched his two best friends walk down near the table in the corner of the room. His eyes narrowed.

--

**"Hey there, Stony."** Baralia greeted warmly, perhaps he'd spent too much time around Gippal.

"Hey Paine."

Paine stiffened at the simultaneous greetings and tensed as Baralia and Nooj sat down on either side of her. "What are you doing?" She asked coldly, shifting into the middle to remain neutral as much as possible.

"Just spending some time with our decidedly distant friend." Nooj gave a short smile.

"I'm not your friend."

"Well that's a pity." Baralia chirped in, his hands folded in front of him. "I guess this is going to be a one-way relationship, huh?"

Paine's jaw clenched to match her stiffened frame. "Take a hint."

"We'd rather not." Nooj smiled lightly, "Baralia tells me that you've got after school cleaning duty because of recent bad behavior." Paine remained silent. "Naturally, that job can get lonely. We'll accompany you."

"Why can't you just leave me alone? I would think that nearly killing one of your closest friends and putting another in a coma would warn you away." Paine hated saying it out loud, but it was true and she wished that they would just leave her be. If Seymour thought they were getting too friendly…

"Ahh, so that's the reason." Baralia mused. "You just wanted to push us away, huh?"

"That plan backfired, didn't it?" Nooj added helpfully. In a turn of seriousness, both boys crowded in closer. "But you see, we know what really happened."

"You can't fool us anymore." Baralia joined.

They were close, uncomfortably close. Paine's throat constricted. She had to end this nonsense. There would be punishment for such stupidity, she knew, and she didn't want anyone else to get hurt…not by her hands. Paine closed her eyes and covered her head with her arms. "Stop," She wanted to cry, but Warriors didn't cry. It was unacceptable. "Please." Her voice was breaking, cracking along the edges with pent up emotions that she never let out. "I don't want to hurt you too."

It all made sense. Nooj didn't know if Baralia was having a similar realization, but by the look of his face, he was. Her last words connected everything. _I don't want to hurt you too._ Seymour, the loving foster father that Paine defended so boldly and never accused, actually hurt her. Not in a physical way, though Nooj was sure he had done that as well, proof in evidence of her bruises, but he had also hurt her deeper. By this time, Nooj was sure that Paine had been forced to beat Rikku, and in that, Paine had separated herself. Once just a little more open, Paine had allowed the girl to like her. It must have been a difficult thing for Paine to do, judging from what Nooj knew that she'd come from a Guado school. Everyone there must have been Guado, or at least, nearly everyone. She was a loner among many unlike herself.

When she transferred schools, it must have been a whole new world to her. People just like herself wandered the halls, spoke to each other, spoke to her. It must have been a huge jump for Paine to somewhat familiarize herself with. And then Rikku, a nice, friendly, energized girl jumps into her world and brings a load of others. Paine goes home and all her training to be a True Warrior seems in danger from this new situation. Seymour, whom Paine defended endlessly, found out. Nooj finally understood. Paine defended Seymour because he had made her everything she was. Growing up with someone, even someone hated, it was _all _she knew. Her only goal, only chance of ever truly meeting Seymour's standards for her, were in danger. Out of love for her and her path, Seymour cursed Paine into a berserked state, where she finally beat up Rikku.

Paine was still hiding her face in her forearms when Nooj put his arm around her shoulders. At the same time, Baralia reassuringly put a hand on her back. At both touches, Paine stiffened even more and even began trembling a little. "Don't." Neither moved their arms and Paine didn't try to buck them off. Perhaps she was too tired of living a complicated lie, but she just sat there, head buried in her arms, back stiffened and shaking.

"It's okay." Nooj whispered to her.

"You're going to be alright." Baralia was quick to reassure her too.

"We won't let you…" Nooj fumbled with his words "be hurt like that again."

"We promise." Baralia echoed.

A final shiver curved down Paine's back before the trembling subsided all together. She sat, frozen in place with both guys directly beside her, their arms crossing over her back. Face still buried in her arms, a single tear trickled down her cheek and splashed lightly onto her locked arms. _How had this happened? How did she let this happen? It had gone so far…too far. _

Seymour would not be happy.


	4. Frustration

_**A/N: Hey everyone, my interest in this fic has sparked again. I know like none of you are left still reading it, but if you are, I'm sorry for such a long absantee period. This fic never really hit it off with me, I believe I wrote it too unrealisticly (with the timeline being so short and whatever), but you know, sometimes you just go back and miss writing for something. So here's the next update on this long installment. Again, sorry and I hope you like it.**_

_**-----  
**_

**Kimahri held out a mop to her and Paine grudgingly took it, casting a look down the hall as she went.** It was going to be a very dull afternoon. Paine began dragging the mop back and forth against the wooden plank floor, watching the bubbles form and pop. It reminded her of her life, a constant cycle of chaos…always when there was peace, some explosion came and popped her bubble.

Paine shook her head and continued mopping. She honestly hoped Baralia and Nooj wouldn't show up. It'd just make it that much harder to get away from them. They were so persistent, Paine didn't even know why. Why did they even bother? It's not like they knew her.

"You calm now?" Kimahri questioned her. Paine eyed the Ronso cautiously.

"I'm fine." She retorted shortly.

Kimarhi shook his head. "Kimarhi has place to question your motives." Paine sighed deeply. Kimarhi kept a steady gaze on her, unmoving in his position. He towered over her both in height and muscular build, staring down at her with those yellow eyes, arms crossed firmly in front of his chest. "Why you injure Rikku?"

"Because she pissed me off." Paine lied, not even wincing at her ease in dishonesty.

"Kimarhi has reason to believe otherwise."

"Believe whatever you want, Ronso." Paine answered rudely. She was tired of hearing the theories of her motives, especially the ones that were dangerously close to the truth. Why couldn't anyone just let it go? It was horrible what she did, so why couldn't they just be cold to her? Everyone was always making up excuses for her. Why the hell did anyone care?

"Rikku believes so."

"You would think that people would leave you alone after nearly killing one of the students. Why does anyone make excuses for me? Especially that girl! No one can take a fucking hint!"

Kimahri was apparently unaffected by her venom. His eyes stayed on her, but he said no more. Paine had been mopping under the careful watch of Kimahri for about an hour when she heard the voice.

"Paine, can I talk to you?" A small, feeble voice broke the silence and Paine stiffened in her clean up duty. She knew that voice.

"Rikku." Kimahri's voice broke the stillness that followed Rikku's question. Rikku glanced over at the teacher to see him shaking his head.

"Kimahri, please. She's not going to do anything. The gym wasn't her fault."

Paine closed her eyes and her hands started moving against the mop again. Faced away from Rikku, she gritted her teeth. "I don't want to talk to you, Rikku."

She couldn't see her, but Rikku's eyes darkened. Without looking to Kimahri for permission, Rikku marched up behind Paine and grabbed the older girl's shoulders. Paine winced as fire raced down her shoulder, but Rikku didn't appear to care. She spun Paine around so that they were face to face.

"Look, Paine." Rikku started, sounding angry. "Nooj and Baralia told me everything that happened, and I believe them."

"You shouldn't." Paine injected tiredly.

"Well that's too bad, 'cause I do. It all makes sense, so you can drop the charade now. I know you didn't mean to hurt me and I can't imagine how you're still sticking up for Seymour. Gratitude is one thing; you've gone far past that. The way you defend him, you would think he's heroic or something. But he's _not._ You need to live out your life, not his. You shouldn't let him control you."

Paine's jaw clenched uncomfortably. "Why won't you just leave me alone?"

"Because we're your new _friends_. I don't think you've ever had one before so you don't get it, but friends don't leave other friends behind to suffer."

"You met me the day before yesterday, Rikku. I'd hardly call us friends."

Rikku seemed to be getting angrier. "Why do you keep pushing us away?"

"Why do you keep insisting on talking to me?" Paine questioned back.

"Your life is passing you by, Paine! You're eighteen and you still put up with being beat by Seymour just because you want to please him! It'll never be good enough! And pretty soon, your life will be over! All the years you'll look back and wonder why you ever put up with it!" Rikku's voice steadily rose with each word.

"Maybe it's the life I want!" Paine's voice didn't need to be loud to convey the menace in her words.

"To be controlled like a chocobo? Some dream that is to aspire to!"

Paine growled, actually _growled. _"Don't you get it? The people in my life only get hurt! If you stick around, the same thing will happen to you again! And you might not be so lucky next time!"

Rikku gave a small smile. "Was that so hard to admit?"

"Yevon! Damnit, Rikku! Leave me alone!"

Rikku's arched an eyebrow. "Why should I? What're you gunna do? Beat me up?"

Paine's expression tightened at the sour joke. "Being my friend will cost you your life. It's something I don't want to be responsible for."

"It doesn't have to be that way." Rikku pressed.

"Yeah, well, it _is _that way, so piss off." Paine turned coldly and continued her mopping duties.

Rikku shook her head. "You are the most stubborn, thick-head-est person I've ever met." Paine didn't respond. "Where exactly do you plan on going after this?" She gestured to Paine's mop. "You weren't thinking of going home, were you?" Again, she received no answer. Her silence was confirmation enough for Rikku. "You can't go home!"

"What are you, my keeper? I'll go wherever I want to."

"And get beat by Seymour again?" Rikku's voice was thickly laden with sarcasm. "Sounds like a plan. Is this a daily event?"

"Seymour does NOT beat me!" Anger returned to Paine's voice. She abandoned the mop and turned to glare daggers at Rikku.

"Of course." Rikku consented. "Those scars and bruises randomly show up on their own. How silly of me."

"Kimahri! I'm about to beat the shit out of this girl again…" She turned, but Kimahri wasn't there. "What the hell? Where'd he go?"

"Maybe he trusts that you won't hurt me. I talked to him, you know, and he knows everything now too." Rikku suggested smilingly.

"Yeah, well, he shouldn't." Paine replied darkly.

"Why? You going to hit me?" Rikku held out her arms wide. "Go on, free punch. As a matter of fact, I won't even fight back. Go ahead. Hit me."

Paine gritted her teeth. "Don't tempt me."

"You can't do it." Rikku proclaimed victoriously. She took a step closer to Paine. "You won't do it."

Paine's steely gaze locked onto Rikku's smiling face. Jaw clenched, eyes narrowed, fists tightened, it was a miracle she hadn't hit Rikku already.

Rikku casually leaned back against the wall. "Baralia tells me you're not very skilled with magic. Too bad, you might have been able to make me leave." Rikku shook her head. "In any case, I'm not leaving until you admit it."

"Admit what?" Paine turned away from Rikku and started limping away to put the mop back. As expected, Rikku followed her.

"Admit that you never meant to hurt me or Yuna." It was a simple request, one that would confirm everything.

"If you're so convinced of my innocence, why would you want to hear me say it?"

"Just cause I want to hear you admit it. Go on."

Paine breathed in deeply. This girl would not leave her alone. What was wrong with everybody? At least Tidus and Gippal had the right mindset. Gippal would—Paine's eyes brightened. "Does Gippal know you're here?" Rikku hesitated a moment too long before responding. Paine jumped on her new idea. "How angry would he be if he knew?"

"He…he would understand." Rikku replied weakly.

Paine smiled cruelly. "Is that so? Because I beg to differ. So here's the deal. Tell your friends to leave me alone from now on out and I won't tell him you came to see me."

"Nice try." Rikku shook her head. "But trying to help you is more important than Gippal being a little upset with me."  
"Why do you feel the need to help me? I'm perfectly fine alone. I don't need other people's help."

"Is that the mantra Seymour's been pounding into you?" Rikku questioned.

Paine's tone was icy. "Stop talking about Seymour. You don't know anything about my father."

"'Foster'" Rikku imitated Paine from the first day they met.

"Shut up." Paine snapped, throwing the mop into the closet and turning back to Rikku with pure rage shining in her eyes. "You don't know what's going on, okay? You guessed a lot of crap, alright, I admit it. I never meant to hurt you. But you don't know anything about Seymour so stop trying to pick apart my life. I don't want to be your friend, or Baralia's, or Nooj's, so leave me alone!"

There was a moment of silence. "Okay." Rikku finally agreed. "That's all I wanted to hear." Rikku turned around and started walking away. Paine's eyes narrowed at her back. That had been too easy. After all Rikku had put up with, it didn't make sense that she'd give up so easily. Paine scanned her retreating form and her eyes found the source.

Barely visible, just peeking out of the corner of Rikku's bag was a communication sphere. Rikku had been taping the whole conversation! "No!" Paine sprinted, ignoring the jolts of pain that ran up her injured leg. She reached Rikku quickly and tackled the girl to the ground. She reached for the sphere and Rikku's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh no you don't." She swatted Paine's hand away and slipped out from under her. Paine lunged forward and grabbed her ankle, preventing her from escaping. Rikku tripped and fell forward again. The sphere rolled out of her backpack to a few feet in front of her.

"I told you to leave me alone!" Paine roared, she pulled Rikku's ankle so that the girl was tugged towards her. Rikku had fear in her eyes as she brought two fingers to her lips and blew out a whistling noise. Paine didn't pay attention to the action, she had already gotten up and made a mad dash for the sphere. Her fingers clasped over its smooth surface and she raised her fist to smash the evidence when metal fingers gripped her wrist. They squeezed her wrist and Paine cried out. Her fingers released the sphere and it fell into a soft, fleshy hand.

Desperate now, Paine reeled back her other fist. Before she could do anything further, a drowsiness settled over her. Paine fought against it, but it was from an unnatural source, instantly sapping away all of her strength. Her eyes shut from lack of energy to keep them open and Paine fell limply to the ground, her arm still held in those metal fingers.

-----

**It was all quiet.** Where was she? She had been knocked out at the school; the surface she was on was soft…so where had she been taken? Paine kept her eyes shut, trying to listen. She could hear someone else breathing, but nothing above that. Someone was in the room with her. What had happened after she'd been knocked out?

"You can stop pretending now." Paine's eyes shot open and fell upon Baralai. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, lazily tossing a sphere up and down in his hand. Paine recognized that sphere. She tried to sit up and snatch it from him, but to her horror, she couldn't move. "Don't worry about it." Baralai explained. "I found out how to isolate the paralysis curse, so I cast it over your body while you were asleep. But please, feel free to speak. I only cast it on your body."

"What do you want?" Paine strained against the curse, but she couldn't even feel her body, let alone control it. "Where am I? Why did you kidnap me? Give me that sphere and let me go."

Baralai smiled. "Demanding, aren't you? You're at my house. We brought you here because we think its best that you don't return home, for now. We wouldn't want to see you any more hurt."

"We?"

"Well, yes; Nooj, Rikku, and I."

Paine let her head fall back against the pillow and drew in a sharp breath, closing her eyes. "When do you intend to let me go?"

Baralai chuckled. "Before school on Monday, that's for sure."

"You're going to keep me here in a paralyzed catatonic state all weekend?"

"Well we were hoping you'd loosen up after a bit so that we could release you from your paralysis." Baralai smiled warmly at her. "You sleep cute."

Paine's eyes opened and narrowed at him. "Excuse me?"

"You're a very peaceful sleeper. It was cute; when I put the blanket on you, you snuggled right into it."

Paine visibly reddened. She opened her mouth to say something snappy back, but the door burst open at that moment and Nooj and Rikku came in. The bed jounced as they seated themselves on the end of it. "Good, you're awake."

"You gave Rikku quite a scare when you jumped on her like that." Nooj commented. "Almost had her thinking you'd been berserked again."

"I've never been berserked." Paine objected, glaring at them all.

Rikku waved her off with a flippant hand motion. "Please. We're over this fact. You already admitted it, remember?" She grabbed the sphere out of the air on one of Baralai's tosses. "And now, we've got proof."

"You tricked me." Paine's eyes followed the sphere; she didn't look at any of them. "What are you planning to do with that?"

"Turn it in to the authorities so you stop being abused." Rikku replied simply, continuing to toss the sphere up and down.

"I am not abused!" Paine protested.

Rikku arched an eyebrow, studying her face. "Riiiight."

"Damnit Rikku, I'm not abused! It's great that you all mean well and everything, but you don't understand a damn thing of my life!"

"Why don't you explain it to us?" Rikku pestered, still playing catch with the sphere.

"I tell him to do it, alright!" Rikku froze and the sphere dropped to the ground, rolling under the bed. "He doesn't do anything unless I tell him to! I told him to summon Anima and I tell him to do everything else too!"

Nooj stared at her long and hard. "You tell him to abuse you?"

"It's not fucking abuse! It's training! I'm going to be a True Warrior someday and he helps me prepare for that! For Yevon's sakes, do you understand now?" Rikku gazed at her with a shocked, numbed expression. Nooj seemed to be considering her words more and Baralai just looked scared. Paine glared at them all. "Now let me go already. There's no reason to keep me here."

Rikku's jaw opened and shut several times, but she couldn't find the words. Nooj was the first one to break the silence after her statement. "A True Warrior…" He mused quietly, his gaze never wavering from her. "In that case, I think it's best if you stay here."

"What the fuc-"

Baralai was silently nodding behind him. "Don't object. It won't change anything."

Rikku, however, still looked like a gaping fish. She turned to Nooj with a questioning, confused expression. "Why?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Paine spat angrily, glaring daggers at Nooj and Baralai.

"To protect you." Baralai said as if it were the most obvious thing.

"From yourself." Nooj added.

Paine closed her eyes and breathed in a deep breath before exhaling slowly, trying to calm herself. She tried her best to keep her voice steady when she spoke and was happy that her tone was flat and emotionless, not exasperated as she feared it would be. "I've lived eighteen years perfectly fine without any protectors and I don't need any now." She shook her head and opened her eyes, her gaze specifically locking on Rikku. "If you continue this 'we're friends' crap, you're going to get hurt. And I don't want to be behind it when it happens. _Please_," she stressed the word, eyes sidelonging to Nooj and Baralai. "Let me go before it happens again."

There was a short moment of silence. Nooj and Baralai were both looking at Rikku who was chewing her bottom lip nervously. "I understand where you're coming from Paine…but we can't let you go." Paine dropped her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes again. "I know you feel guilty about beating me up…" Rikku continued. "but I know it wasn't your fault. Because of that, we won't let you go. Are you going to continue to be Seymour's puppet your whole life, Paine? You may want to be a Warrior, but I know you see what he's doing. You're not stupid. You're being isolated—and worse yet, you think it's necessary. You've convinced yourself that you have to be alone to accomplish your goals and you've done that because of him."

"I want to be alone." Rikku opened her mouth to object before Paine unconvincingly added. "For now. Leave me…please."

Paine felt the bed shift as Nooj and Baralai stood. The clanking of Nooj's metal leg was unmistakeable as he went to the door. Before the door shut, Rikku turned to Paine and swallowed thickly. "You have friends Paine. You don't have to be alone." With that, she shut the door behind her, closing off Paine from the others.

Alone. It was how she belonged, no matter what Rikku said. All her life, she had been taught to accomplish her goals alone, without help, without leaning on anyone for support. People only failed you. Alone…it was the way she had to be.

-----

**Rikku entered several hours later carrying a tray of steaming food. **Her blond hair fell over her shoulders in braids as her innocent blue eyes roamed over Paine curiously with hesitation. Paine arched an eyebrow at the jittery girl. She could see Rikku's hands shaking slightly as the water in the drinking cup rippled outward. "I hope you don't expect to feed me yourself." Paine commented wryly. Rikku's trembling abated slightly at Paine's words. Perhaps she expected more hostilities? Paine couldn't be sure, but Rikku seemed…afraid.

Rikku gave her a small, weak smile. "No, don't worry." If Paine hadn't seen it in her face, she would have heard it in Rikku's voice. Despite her words and bravado, the girl was scared. She continued. "Baralai has sealed the room and the adjoining bathroom. I'm going to release you from the paralysis now. You can eat and shower or whatever—but I wouldn't recommend trying to escape. Baralai's very thorough when he does a job, it won't get you anywhere." Rikku set the food tray down beside Paine's bed and sat down on the mattress lightly.

Paine's slightly arched eyebrow lifted higher. "And what exactly are you intending to do with me?"

Rikku shrugged. "Nothing really, just protect you." She ignored Paine's eyeroll. "Hold still, I'm going to remove the paralysis." Paine watched as Rikku gently grabbed her arm and started murmuring under her breath. Gradually, Paine began to feel a tingling in her body, as if her entire body had fallen asleep. The tingle raced up her stomach, causing an unpleasant sensation crawling through her midsection. The tingle sharpened suddenly and pain laced through her body, causing her to groan. Rikku winced, but the new burning in her limbs didn't stop; rather, it intensified to a dull throbbing and Paine tightly clenched her teeth together. Rikku let go of her arm and Paine sagged against the pillow, sinking further into the bed.

Rikku bit her bottom lip nervously. "You're still pretty injured from…" she trailed off, biting down harder on her lip. There was a breath of silence before she spoke again. "I'm sorry for what Gippal and Tidus did."

"Don't be. You have nothing to apologize for." Paine rebuked sternly. This girl simply amazed her. She was apologizing? After Paine had nearly killed her the same way. It didn't matter what the Al Bhed believed about her, she should never be apologizing to her. "I deserved it."

Rikku sucked in a strained breath. "You didn't—"

"Save it." Paine snapped.

Rikku quieted, but her eyes showed that it was an effort to keep silent. "Paine, I just…" Rikku trailed off again, staring at her hands regretfully. Paine started inching towards the edge of the bed. Rikku hopped up off her edge and rushed over to Paine's side. "Do you need help?" Without waiting for an answer, she slung Paine's arm across her shoulders and helped the girl into a standing position.

"I don't need your help." Paine yanked her arm away and wavered for a moment, unsteady of her feet. Rikku reached out to steady her.

"It's okay to need help sometimes…" Rikku offered.

Paine swatted away her hands. "I'm fine. Leave me be."

Rikku stepped back, looking hurt and disappointed. She hesitated before turning to the door. "If you need anything…"

Paine gritted her teeth and shut her eyes, turning away from Rikku. "Rikku." Rikku turned at the door, but was only privy to her back.

"Yeah?" she asked tentatively.

"I'm sorry."

Rikku let out a sigh and a small, genuine smile graced her features. "Thanks, Paine." Paine said nothing else and she heard the click of the door as it shut behind Rikku.


End file.
